Prior to the present invention, high speed data could only be provided by special leased lines. Even with these special leased lines, data rates were limited to relatively low baud rates, (i.e. &lt;19.2 Kbaud). Nor did these special leased lines provide voice capacity. It was necessary to bring in tie-lines to achieve the higher data rate and Local Area Networks (LAN) to achieve substantially higher data rates.
A LAN system can provide a very high data rate but requires that each location be connected to a new, special LAN wire. This makes LANs only practical for a small area such as an office building, hence, the name local area networks.
Both tie-lines and leased lines overcome the local restriction but have there own restrictions. Unless the telephone company has spare special lines running between the Central Office (CO) and the location desiring service, new lines must be laid. The laying of new lines is generally an expensive process.
It therefore becomes the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which simultaneously provides voice and high speed data channels over the existing tip-and-ring two-wire interface.